What’s New @ The Car Connection

The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace marks a moment in time. When the first copies find a home in American garages this fall, the I-Pace will be the first real challenger to the Model S and Model X. And then, Tesla’s control over the future narrative of electric-car adoption will end.

The United Kingdom has an official Bugatti dealership, and it’s no surprise that it should fall under the reins of H.R. Owen. As a means of advertising its wares in the best way possible, the dealership has crafted a Chiron with a special body. Instead of insane colors or a crazy livery, the H.R. Owen Chiron is a bit more menacing thanks to its fully exposed black carbon fiber body panels.

No matter how hard automakers and engineers may try, it’s impossible to turn an internal-combustion engine into a silent operator. However, as the auto industry shifts to battery packs and electric motors, silence ultimately wins out.

In an article last fall, I reached out to the GCR readers for a suggestion for what plug-in vehicle I should buy to complement my 84-mile range 2015 Nissan LEAF. The new vehicle, my wife’s car, had to handle a 16-mile daily commute, occasional 300-mile trips to Vermont (a place of few DC fast chargers), and be less than $40,000.